Intelligent lighting module and method of operation of such an intelligent lighting module

ABSTRACT

An intelligent lighting module for use in a lighting or display module system which is composed of an array of lighting modules, each of the lighting modules being provided with a display board with an array of individual pixel lighting elements and with a control board capable of controlling serial input data from a video source for displaying video as well as of controlling digital communication input data from a lighting console for creating digital lighting effects, wherein the display board includes a drive buffer and an array of pulse-width modulation (PWM) drivers which are connected to the lighting elements.

This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No.60/616,200 filed Oct. 7, 2004 under 35 U.S.C. 119(e).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, in particularan intelligent lighting module, capable of enabling a generic buildingblock light source that possesses uniform hardware and powerrequirements and is capable of being formed into a seamless display. Inparticular, the present invention relates to an electronic apparatus fora self-regulating, high-intensity electronic apparatus for a lightingmodule that can be packaged for different applications or markets and iscapable of displaying standard video or providing standard digitallighting technology in a single module.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

High-intensity light sources, such as incandescent, fluorescent, andhalogen lamps, have been long used in many large-scale applications,such as large public information displays, outdoor stadium displays andtheatrical lighting systems. Originally, large, manually-operatedswitches and dimmers were located near the lamps to control theillumination of many large-scale lighting applications. Later, lampswere remotely operated by use of electronic dimmers that employ a lowvoltage direct current (DC) to control the lamps' high voltage power.Most recently, however, digitally controlled illumination systems havebeen developed in which a network of individual lights is controlled bya central computer controlled console. Such illumination systems arewidely used today in, for example, theatrical lighting systems. In 1986,the U.S. Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT) developed theDMX512-protocol as a standard digital interface between dimmers andcomputer control consoles. In the DMX512 protocol, each lamp has adigital address and responds to the digital commands sent on a controlcable to this address. A lamp may possess multiple addresses. Forexample, a color changing light may have one address to set the mode ofthe lamp (on/off/sound activated), another address to select the color,and a third address to set the speed at which the lamp changes thecolor. The DMX512 protocol is capable of controlling up to 512 addressesper each lighting group that is referred to as a “universe.” The DMX512protocol has allowed uniformity in programming digital lighting;however, a custom hardware setup that uses a variety of lamps is oftencreated each time a lighting system is needed. Often, lamps havedifferent power requirements: in some cases, they require externalregulation; in other cases, they require high voltage, unregulated powersupplies. Thus, what is needed, is an electronic apparatus capable ofenabling a generic building block light source that possesses uniformhardware and power requirements and is compatible with industry standardlighting control protocols. Therefore, what is further needed is anelectronic apparatus capable of enabling a self-regulating,high-intensity lighting module that can be packaged for differentapplications or markets, for example, for architectural lighting, forretail advertising, or for traditional theatrical lighting.

In a separate development area, projection systems have long been usedto display large-scale moving pictures. The first commercialapplications of large-scale video displays were limited to large arraysof television monitors. Relatively recent advances in the manufacture oflight emitting diodes (LEDs) have made them an attractive light sourcefor large-scale video displays. Large-scale video displays are now beingused for sports stadiums, race tracks, arenas, coliseums and concerthalls. Therefore, the market is demanding lighter, cheaper and largerdisplays that are easy to install, maintain and disassemble, especiallyfor use in temporary venues; these are market specifications that arenot possible to achieve in the older technologies. Additionally, in manylarge-scale applications, for example, in large concert halls or stadiummusic events, both video and lighting effects are desired. However,different display elements are generally needed for large-scale videoversus large-scale lighting, in order to create the desired effects.Therefore, a large-scale system that is capable of generating both videoand digitally controlled lighting is needed.

An example of a system that combines video and digitally controlledlighting system is found in reference to international patentapplication No. WO 99/31560, entitled, “Digitally controlledillumination methods and systems.” The '560 application detailsprocessor-controlled LED lighting system, including kineticillumination, precision illumination, a “smart” light bulb, anentertainment lighting system, a power/data protocol, a data deliverytrack, lighting components and sensor/feedback applications. In oneembodiment of the invention, the lighting control signal can be embeddedin any conventional electronic transmission signal, for example music,compact disc, television, videotape, video game, computer network,broadcast, cable, broadband or other communications signal. Therefore,for example, the lighting control signal may be embedded into anentertainment signal, for example, a television signal, so that, whenthe television signal is processed, a portion of the bandwidth of thetelevision signal can control lighting. For example, in this embodiment,the color and intensity of room lights, as well as other lightingeffects, may be directly controlled through a television signal. Thus, atelevision signal may instruct the room lights to dim at certain pointsduring the presentation, to strobe to different colors at other pointsand to flash at other points.

However, the invention requires a decoder in order to split the incomingcombined signal into a separate entertainment signal and lightingcontrol signals. Subsequently, a lighting block that is used only forillumination purposes and an entertainment device that can be used onlyto display video process these signals. Therefore, the present inventionis limited, in that it requires the use of separate modules for videodisplay or lighting. Thus, what is needed is an electronic apparatuscapable of providing both standard video and standard digital lightingtechnology for a generic lighting module.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide an electronic apparatuscapable of enabling a generic building block light source that possessesuniform hardware and power requirements, compatible with industrystandard lighting control protocols.

It is another object of this invention to provide an electronicapparatus capable of enabling a self-regulating, high-intensity lightingmodule that can be packaged for different applications or markets forexample, for architectural lighting, for retail advertising or fortraditional theatrical lighting.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an electronicapparatus capable of providing both standard video and standard digitallighting technology for a generic lighting module.

To this end the invention relates in the first place to an intelligentlighting module for use in a lighting or display module system which iscomposed of an array of lighting modules, each of said lighting modulesbeing provided with a display board with an array of individual pixellighting elements and with a control board capable of controlling serialinput data from a video source for displaying video as well as ofcontrolling digital communication input data from a lighting console forcreating digital lighting effects, wherein the display board comprises adrive buffer and an array of pulse-width modulation (PWM) drivers whichare connected to the lighting elements and wherein the control boardcomprises:

-   -   a serial data input;    -   a communication data input;    -   a memory, preferably a read-only memory, containing data such as        hardware configuration data, executable code, and an        installation controller containing installation parameters of        the intelligent lighting module such as the position and        orientation of the module in the lighting or display system and        the module viewing angle;    -   a memory, preferably a random access memory, containing ambient        environmental data and display data during run time;    -   a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

Such an intelligent lighting module according to the invention allowsbuilding a large-scale lighting or display system that is capable ofgenerating both video and digitally controlled lighting.

Following a preferred embodiment the programmable gate array (FPGA)contains:

-   -   a converter to “de-serialize” the incoming serial data in order        to produce parallel pixel data in the form of lighting data and        lighting addresses;    -   a write look-up table and a read look-up table which provide        cross-reference indexes that map the lighting data to the        correct lighting element of the display board;    -   a display buffer;    -   a central processing unit (CPU) to write the lighting to memory        in the order of sequential pixel addresses by using the write        look-up table and thereby translating the original lighting        address order to the sequential pixel address order and, in        order to illuminate the lighting elements, to read the lighting        data from the random access memory by using an address modified        by the read look-up table and thereby converting the stored        lighting data from sequential pixel address order to display        drive order, and latching said lighting data via the display        buffer onto the drive buffer of the display board to activate        the pulse-width modulation drivers of the display board to        produce an image at the display rate.

Preferably the intelligent lighting module is provided with a powerregulation so that the lighting module with the above mentioned featuresconstitutes a generic building block light source that possesses uniformhardware and power requirements and is capable of being formed intoseamless display.

In the second place the invention relates to a method of operation of anintelligent lighting module, including the steps of

-   -   initializing the field programmable array, whereby at power-up        configuration data are fetched from a configuration data sector        in memory, and the field programmable array then automatically        instantiates its converter, control logic, split-PWM logic,        central processing unit and sensor logic, after which the        central processing unit boots from the boot-block sector in        memory containing the executable code and commences operation;    -   receiving the look-up tables, wherein the intelligent light        module receives the display configuration data or reads these        data from memory that will form the contents of the write        look-up table and read look-up table that are stored in the        control board;    -   receiving serial and communication data, wherein the intelligent        lighting module receives pixel image data and some control data        on serial data input and display control data on communication        data input and the central processor unit modifies the pixel        image data according to the installation controller in memory        and storing the modified pixel image data in memory, using the        display drive order from the write look-up table;    -   deciding whether or not to end the display, whereby the central        processing unit determines whether a command has been received        via the communication data input 114 to cease display and if yes        ending the display, or if no, illuminating the lighting        elements, whereby the central processor unit reads the lighting        data from memory by using an address modified by the read        look-up table and writes the lighting data to split-PWM logic        that alters the data and provides Y-bit lighting data to the        display buffer 128, and whereby this data is latched onto drive        buffer 132 which activates the pulse-width modulation drivers        134, thereby illuminating each pixel of lighting elements 136        and subsequently returning to the step of receiving serial and        communication data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, thefollowing preferred embodiment of an intelligent lighting module and ofan operation method of such an intelligent lighting module according tothe invention are described as an example only without being limitativein any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of an intelligent lightingmodule in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a functional block diagram of a control board inaccordance with the invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate front and rear perspective views,respectively, of an intelligent lighting module assembly in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded rear view of an intelligent lightingmodule assembly in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an operation method of an intelligentlighting module assembly in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENT

The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, in particularan intelligent lighting module, capable of enabling a generic buildingblock light source that possesses uniform hardware and powerrequirements and is capable of being formed into seamless display. Inparticular, the present invention relates to a self-regulating,high-intensity electronic apparatus for a lighting module that can bepackaged for different applications or markets and is capable ofdisplaying standard video or providing standard digital lightingtechnology in a single module.

FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of an intelligent lightingmodule 100 in accordance with the invention. Intelligent lighting module100 includes an input for power 110, an input for serial data 112, aninput for communications data (comm data) 114, a control board 120 and adisplay board 130. Control board 120 further includes a power regulation122, a memory 124, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) 126, and adisplay buffer 128. The display board 130 further includes a drivebuffer 132, an array of pulse-width modulation (PWM) drivers 134, anarray of lighting elements 136, and a sensor 138.

Power input 110 is a standard, unregulated or regulated power supply forintelligent lighting module 100, in the present example, +48V DC.However, other implementations of power 110 are possible and include AC,for example, 110V AC or 220V AC. Serial data 112 contains the displayimage data, for example, the pixel location address, and the value forthe red, green, and blue (RGB) components of the pixel color; however,numerous other color definitions and standards are possible for serialdata 112. Serial data 112 is updated according to the display refreshrate, as is well known to those skilled in the art. Serial data 112 canalso contain some commands, e.g. some Barco commands as explained withregard to another provisional application in the name of the sameapplicant and entitled “System for and method of providing a commonprotocol for lighting and video devices”. Comm data 114 is a digitalserial input, for example, DMX512 protocol data, as is well known tothose skilled in the art, that controls digital lighting effects, suchas switching, dimming, and fading. Other communication protocols arepossible, including custom lighting protocols. For further informationregarding a custom lighting protocol, see another provisionalapplication of the same applicant, entitled, “System for and method ofproviding a common protocol for lighting and video devices.”

Control board 120 provides all the power regulation, processingcapabilities, digital memory, and electronic buffering functions forintelligent lighting module 100. Regulation 122 provides all the powerconversion and regulation functions required to produce internal sourceof power for all the electronic devices of intelligent lighting module100. Memory 124 within control board 120 includes standard electroniccomponents, such as “programmable read-only memory” (PROM) and “randomaccess memory” (RAM). The content of Memory 124 contains such data ashardware configuration code, executable code, look-up tables, displaydata, ambient environmental data, and the installation controller. Theinstallation controller contains data for the unique installationparameters of intelligent lighting module 100 that affect the operationof intelligent lighting module 100 such as the height of the module inthe large-scale display, the module orientation, and the module viewingangle. FPGA 126 is a standard electronic component that provides all thedigital processing capabilities necessary for the correct operation ofintelligent lighting module 100. A suitable device for FPGA 126 is, forexample, Cyclone 1C3, manufactured by Altera Corporation or XC3550,manufactured by Xilinx Inc. Display buffer 128 includes commonelectronic components, such as tri-state latches, tri-state linedrivers, and electronic filtering components, such as capacitors (notshown).

Display board 130 provides the display lighting and the supportfunctions necessary for its operation. Drive buffer 132 inputs paralleldata from control board 120 and decodes and latches the lighting data.PULSE-WIDTH MODULATION drivers 134 include the standard display driversnecessary to illuminate lighting elements 136, and are, for example,constant current drivers that are commonly used for light emittingdevice (LED) displays or constant voltage drivers, used for liquidcrystal displays (LCDs). Lighting elements 136 contain an array ofindividual pixel elements (not shown) that form the display, forexample, an array of inorganic or organic light emitting diodes (LEDs orOLEDs) or an LCD. Sensor 138 monitors the ambient light conditions fordisplay intensity processing by control board 120.

In operation, intelligent lighting module 100 receives pixel image dataand control data on serial data 112, display control data on comm data114, and display power on power 110. Power 110 and comm data 114 mayoriginate, for example, from a controller (not shown). Further to thisexample, serial data 112 may originate from this controller or fromanother intelligent lighting module 100. FPGA 126 inputs serial data 112and then “deserializes” it, in order to produce parallel pixel data.Serial data 112 may not be transmitted in the order of the sequentialpixel addresses; therefore, FPGA 126 reorders the parallel pixel dataand stores it in memory 124 in the order of sequential pixel addresses.Further, the order of sequential address locations in memory 124 may notbe in an order that corresponds to the sequential pixel locations oflighting elements 136. Therefore, to display an image, FPGA 126determines a display drive order from a look-up table that is uploadedby the microprocessor in the FPGA at start up. FPGA 126 then latches theparallel pixel data that correspond to contiguous pixel locations ontodrive buffer 132. Pulse-width modulation drivers 134 then illuminate thecorresponding pixels of lighting elements 136 to produce a single imageat the display update rate.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram that illustrates control board 120in accordance with the invention. FIG. 1 is referenced throughout thedescription of control board 120.

Memory 124 within control board 120 further includes a programmableread-only memory (PROM) 210 and a random access memory (RAM) 212. FPGA126 within control board 120 further includes a converter 214, a controllogic 216, a split-PWM logic 218, a write look-up table 220, a readlook-up table 222, a central processing unit (CPU) 224, and a sensorlogic 226.

PROM 210 includes data, such as hardware configuration data, for controlboard 120, executable code for CPU 224 and the installation controller.The installation controller contains data for the unique installationparameters of intelligent lighting module 100 that affect the operationof intelligent lighting module 100 such as the height of the module inthe large-scale display, the module orientation, and the module viewingangle. RAM 212 contains look-up tables, ambient environmental data, anddisplay data during run time. Ambient environmental data, includingambient temperature, illumination, and humidity is available viacommunications data 114, from an external Ambient EnvironmentalController (not shown). Converter 214 contains a serial to parallelconverter for the incoming data of serial data 112. Control logic 216contains the necessary control functions; for example, timing, enabling,glue logic, sequential and combinational logic, to coordinate theoperation of FPGA 126. Split-PWM logic 218 enables the 16-bit lightingdata to be written to a 12-bit pulse width modulation driver 134,without loosing the 16-bit resolution of the display. Write look-uptable 220 and read look-up table 222 provide the cross-reference indexesthat map the lighting data to the correct lighting element 136 ofdisplay board 130. CPU 224 is, for example a 32-bit microprocessor core,such as an 80C51, which is instantiated on FPGA 126 at power-up. Sensorlogic 226 processes sensor data that originate on display board 130.

In operation, converter 214 “de-serializes” the incoming data of serialdata 112 and provides parallel 16-bit lighting data and 7-bit lightingaddresses to CPU 224. CPU 224 modifies the pixel image data according tothe installation controller in PROM 210 and ambient data in RAM 212. CPU224 then writes the lighting data to RAM 212 in the order of sequentialpixel addresses by using write look-up table 220 and thereby translatesthe original lighting address order to the sequential pixel addressorder. To illuminate lighting elements 136, CPU 224 reads the lightingdata from RAM 212 by using an address modified by read look-up table 222and thereby converts the stored lighting data from sequential pixeladdress order to display drive order. CPU 224 then writes the lightingdata to split-PWM logic 218. Split-PWM logic 218 enables the 16-bitlighting data to be written to, for example, a 12-bit pulse-widthmodulation driver 134, by writing the 12 most significant bits (MSBS) ofthe lighting data at a display write cycle rate that is equivalent to 16times the display update rate. A single bit is added to each of these 16display write cycles, for a number of times that is equal to the valueof 4 least significant bits (LSBs) of the lighting data. Therefore, forexample, if the 4 LSBs of the lighting data indicate a digital value ofeight, then 8 of the 16 write cycles will be increased by a single bit.Display buffers 128 receive each of the resultant 12-bit lighting data,after which the 12-bit lighting data is latched onto drive buffer 132.Pulse-width modulation drivers 134 receive the latched data from drivebuffer 132 and activate, for example, internal constant current drivers(CCDs) (not shown) within pulse-width modulation drivers 134. Otherembodiments may utilize constant voltage drivers within pulse-widthmodulation drivers 134, i.e., to activate liquid crystal displays. Inthe present embodiment, the CCDs are activated for a period of time ofthe total display write cycle that is proportional to the numericalvalue of the 12-bit lighting data. Therefore, for example, if the 12-bitlighting data indicates a digital value of 2,048 of the 12-bit fullscale value of 4,096, the CCD will be activated for one-half of thewrite cycle, and the corresponding color pixel will be illuminated atone half of its full scale intensity. Each CCD of pulse-width modulationdrivers 134 thereby illuminates a single color component, for examplered, green or blue, of each pixel of lighting elements 136. Separately,sensor logic 226 receives signals from a remote sensor on display board130, for processing by CPU 224.

It is clear that the lighting data do not necessarily have to be 16-bitdata but can in more general terms be data with an X-bit configuration,whereas the pulse-width modulation do not necessarily have to be 12-bitdrivers but can be drivers with a Y-bit structure wherein Y is a smallernumber than X. A person skilled in the art can easily extrapolate theabove given explanation of the operation of a lighting module to anapplication with a generalised number of bits X and Y.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate front and rear perspective views,respectively, of an intelligent lighting module assembly 300.Intelligent lighting module assembly 300 is suitable for use as anautonomous display, or, alternatively, may operate within a set ofintelligent lighting module assemblies 300 to form a larger display (notshown). Intelligent lighting module assembly 300 is, for example, a 8×11planar matrix assembly of emissive lighting elements 310. A large-scaledisplay (not shown) is formed of a plurality of intelligent lightingmodule assemblies 300 to create, for example, a display that covers anentire wall.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded rear view of intelligent lighting moduleassembly 300 in accordance with the invention. Intelligent lightingmodule assembly 300 includes a front optics 410, a display boardassembly 414 that includes a mechanical interface for attachment offront optics 410, a control board assembly 416, a chassis 418, a heatsink 424, a cooling fan 420, a fixation interface 428, a fan cover 422and bolts 412. Cable connector 426 is part of the cable (not shown inFIG. 4) and is connected to the connector on the control board assembly416.

Front optics 410 is a protective lens cover for intelligent lightingmodule assembly 300. Front optics 410 encases, for example, an 8×11planar matrix assembly of emissive lighting elements 310; however, frontoptics 410 is not limited to the present example and may accommodate avariety of geometries and hold various numbers of emissive lightingelements 310 for different applications. Further, the lens design offront optics 410 determines the optical quality of emissive lightingelements 310; for example, front optics 410 that possess a smallemissive cone provide a greater fill factor and result in a betterquality video display. Additionally, front optics 410 may be replacedduring the lifetime of intelligent lighting module assembly 300, eitherto maintain the display because of normal wear or damage or to upgradeintelligent lighting module assembly 300 to change the style orperformance of the display. For further information regarding opticaldesigns for intelligent lighting module assembly 300, reference is madeto the description in the present provisional application entitled“System for and method of optically enhancing video and light elements.”Display board assembly 414 is foreseen with a mechanical interface thatincludes the structural frame that affixes display board assembly 414and chassis 418 to front optics 410. Display board assembly 414 containsemissive lighting elements 310 and electronic display drivers, asdescribed in the discussion of display board 130 in reference to FIG. 1.Display board assembly 414 also provides a mounting structure forcontrol board assembly 416. Control board assembly 416 contains all theintelligence required in order to operate the display from a standarddata source that includes control data, i.e., DMX512, and serial displaydata, i.e., RGB data, as described in the discussion of control board120 in reference to FIG. 1. Control board assembly 416 contains thepower regulation capabilities to power the display. Therefore,intelligent light module assembly 300 functions as a generic buildingblock light source that processes uniform hardware and powerrequirements and is capable of being formed into a seamless display.Further, intelligent lighting module assembly 300 is a lighting elementthat converges standard video and standard digital lighting technologyin a single module. Chassis 418 is the rear enclosure of intelligentlighting module assembly 300 and the physical interface to a mountingstructure (not shown). Fan cover 422 holds cooling fan 420 in place onthe rear of chassis 418. Fixation interface 428 is the mechanicalinterface needed in order to be able to attach the fan cover to thechassis 418, by means of bolts 412. Chassis 418 can be modified toaccomplish different packaging geometries; therefore, chassis 418 can bepackaged for different applications or markets. Heat sink 424 isincorporated in the design for the thermal cooling of the control boardassembly 416 and the display board assembly 414.

In operation, control board assembly 416 receives serial display data,display control data, and power from a source, for example, a displaycontroller (not shown), by means of cables (not shown) that connect tocable connector 426, and processes these inputs to activate and modulatethe illumination of intelligent lighting module assembly 300 thatcreates a display or a portion of an overall display. A large-scaledisplay is constructed from an array of intelligent lighting moduleassemblies 300, for example, a large-scale wall display (not shown). Forinformation regarding large-scale displays, see the description enclosedin the present provisional application which is entitled, “Improveddisplay and corresponding support, emissive lighting display modules andpackaging mechanical packaging and support frameworks for lightingmodules for such display modules.”

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an operation method 500 of an intelligentlighting module assembly 300 in accordance with the invention. Method500 includes initialization and automatic configuration of control board120. FIGS. 1 through 4 are referenced throughout the steps of method500. Method 500 includes the following steps:

Step 510: Initializing FPGA

In this step, FPGA 126 within Control board 120 is initialized andprepared for normal operation. At power-up, FPGA 126 fetchesconfiguration data from a configuration data sector of PROM 210 withinmemory 124. FPGA then automatically instantiates converter 214, controllogic 216, split-PWM logic 218, CPU 224, and sensor logic 226, afterwhich CPU 224 boots from the boot-block sector of PROM 210 and commencesoperation. Method 500 proceeds to step 512.

Step 512: Receiving Look-Up Tables

In this step, intelligent light module 100 receives the displayconfiguration data that will form the contents of write look-up table220 and read look-up table 222. The look-up tables are stored in thecontrol board. In an alternate implementation, the default displayconfiguration data is read from PROM 210. CPU 224 then writes thedisplay configuration data to write look-up table 220 and read look-uptable 222. Method 500 proceeds to step 514.

Step 514: Receiving Serial and Comm Data

In this step, intelligent lighting module 100 receives pixel image dataand some control data on serial data 112 and display control data oncommunications data 114. CPU 224 modifies the pixel image data accordingto the installation controller in PROM 210. Using the display driveorder from write look-up table 220, CPU 224 stores the modified pixelimage data in RAM 212. Method 500 proceeds to step 516.

Step 516: End Display?

In this decision step, CPU 224 determines whether a command has beenreceived via comm data 114 to cease display, for example, an offcommand, a reset command, or a power-down command. If yes, method 500ends. If no, method 500 proceeds to step 518.

Step 518: Illumining Display

In this step, lighting elements 136 are illumined. CPU 224 reads thelighting data from RAM 212 by using an address modified by read look-uptable 222 and writes the lighting data to split-PWM logic 218. Split-PWMlogic 218 alters the data and provides 12-bit lighting data to displaybuffers 128. Under the control of CPU 224, this data is latched ontodrive buffer 132. Pulse-width modulation drivers 134 receive the latcheddata from drive buffer 132 and activate the pulse-width modulationdrivers 134. The activated pulse-width modulation drivers 134 therebyillumine each pixel of lighting elements 136. Method 500 returns to step514.

The invention is in no way limited to the methods and embodimentsdescribed above and represented in the drawings, but such an intelligentlighting element and method of operation according to the invention maybe realized in different shapes and dimensions, without departure fromthe scope of the invention.

1. An intelligent lighting module for use in a lighting or displaymodule system, comprising an array of lighting modules, each of saidlighting modules being provided with a display board with an array ofindividual pixel lighting elements and with a control board capable ofcontrolling serial input data from a video source for displaying videoas well as of controlling digital communication input data from alighting console for creating digital lighting effects, wherein thedisplay board comprises a drive buffer and an array of pulse-widthmodulation (PWM) drivers which are connected to the lighting elementsand wherein the control board comprises: a serial data input; acommunication data input; a memory containing data, executable code, andan installation controller containing installation parameters of theintelligent lighting module such as the position and orientation of themodule in the lighting or display system and the module viewing angle; amemory containing ambient environmental data and display data during runtime; and a field programmable gate array (FPGA) comprising: a converterto “de-serialize” the incoming serial data in order to produce parallelpixel data in the form of lighting data and lighting addresses; a writelook-up table and a read look-up table which provide cross-referenceindexes that map the lighting data to the correct lighting element ofthe display board; a display buffer; and a central processing unit (CPU)to write the lighting data to memory in the order of sequential pixeladdresses by using the write look-up table and thereby translating theoriginal lighting address order to the sequential pixel address orderand, in order to illuminate the lighting elements, to read the lightingdata from the random access memory by using an address modified by theread look-up table and thereby converting the stored lighting data fromsequential pixel address order to display drive order, and latching saidlighting data via the display buffer onto the drive buffer of thedisplay board to activate the pulse-width modulation drivers of thedisplay board to produce an image at the display rate.
 2. Theintelligent lighting module according to claim 1, wherein the lightingdata are X-bit data with X bits and the pulse-width modulation driversare Y-bit drivers requiring a data input of Y-bit data and wherein thelighting data are latched onto the drive buffer through a split-PWMlogic contained in the programmable gate array (FPGA), which split-PWMlogic enables the higher bit lighting data to be written to the lowerbit pulse-width modulation drivers of the display board without losingthe higher bit resolution of the lighting data.
 3. The intelligentlighting board according to claim 2, wherein the split-PWM logic is suchthat it writes the Y most significant bits of the X-bit lighting data ata display write cycle rate that is equivalent to X times the displayupdate rate, whereby a single bit is added to each of these X displaywrite cycles, for a number of times that is equal to the value ofremaining least significant bits of the X-bit lighting data and wherebythe resultant Y-bit lighting data are latched onto the drive buffer ofthe display board which activate the lighting elements or theirindividual color pixels for a period of time of the total display writecycle that is proportional to the numerical value of the Y-bit lightingdata.
 4. The intelligent lighting module according to claim 1, whereinthe field programmable gate array comprises a sensor logic whichreceives signals from a remote sensor on the display board to monitorthe ambient light conditions for display intensity processing by thecentral processing unit of the field programmable gate array.
 5. Theintelligent lighting module according to claim 1, wherein the fieldprogrammable gate array comprises a control logic containing thenecessary control functions such as timing, enabling, glue logic,sequential and combinational logic, to coordinate the operation of thefield programmable gate array.
 6. The intelligent lighting moduleaccording to claim 1, wherein the lighting elements are light emittingdiodes (LED) or liquid crystal display pixels (LCD).
 7. The intelligentlighting module according to claim 1, having a form and dimensions suchthat it can be used together with other similar lighting modules tobuild a seamless display.
 8. The intelligent lighting module accordingto claim 1, wherein the control board is capable of controllingcommunication input data in the form of DMX512-protocol data or othercustom lighting protocols.
 9. The lighting module according to claim 1,wherein the control board comprises a power regulation.
 10. A method ofoperation of an intelligent lighting module in accordance with claim 2,including the steps of: initializing the field programmable array,whereby, at power-up configuration, data are fetched from aconfiguration data sector in memory, and the field programmable arraythen automatically instantiates its converter, control logic, split-PWMlogic, central processing unit and sensor logic, after which the centralprocessing unit boots from the boot-block sector in memory containingthe executable code and commences operation; receiving the look-uptables, wherein the intelligent light module receives the displayconfiguration data or reads these data from memory that will form thecontents of the write look-up table and read look-up table that arestored in the control board; receiving serial and communication data,wherein the intelligent lighting module receives pixel image data andsome control data on serial data input and display control data oncommunication data input and the central processor unit modifies thepixel image data according to the installation controller in memory andstoring the modified pixel image data in memory, using the display driveorder from the write look-up table; deciding whether or not to end thedisplay, whereby the central processing unit determines whether acommand has been received via the communication data input to ceasedisplay and if yes ending the display, or if no, illuminating thelighting elements, whereby the central processor unit reads the lightingdata from memory by using an address modified by the read look-up tableand writes the lighting data to split-PWM logic that alters the data andprovides Y-bit lighting data to the display buffer, and whereby thisdata is latched onto drive buffer which activates the pulse-widthmodulation drivers, thereby illuminating each pixel of lighting elementsand subsequently returning to the step of receiving serial andcommunication data.
 11. An intelligent lighting module for use in alighting or display module system, comprising an array of lightingmodules, each of said lighting modules being provided with a displayboard with an array of individual pixel lighting elements and with acontrol board capable of controlling serial input data from a videosource for displaying video as well as of controlling digitalcommunication input data from a lighting console for creating digitallighting effects, wherein the display board comprises a drive buffer andan array of pulse-width modulation (PWM) drivers which are connected tothe lighting elements and wherein the control board comprises: a serialdata input; a communication data input; a memory containing data,executable code, and an installation controller containing installationparameters of the intelligent lighting module such as the position andorientation of the module in the lighting or display system and themodule viewing angle; a memory containing ambient environmental data anddisplay data during run time; and a field programmable gate array(FPGA); wherein the control board is capable of controllingcommunication input data in the form of DMIX512-protocol data or othercustom lighting protocols.